On Sunday, we did a quick visit to Stradbroke Island. Felix was busy with some friends, Victor was camping with other friends (on Stradbroke in fact! but I promise, we didn’t go to spy on him!).

So we were only 3 to go, easy.

Dans le ferry, partageant un delicieux smoothie a la myrtille

We decided to do very simple. So we only packed our swimming stuff, left the car on the main land, took a water taxi and then the bus to the main beach. We swam in blue blue water, walked along the coast line and spotted few really bog turtles, had a delicious lunch in a friendly café and tasted the amazing Italian ice cream.

We came back with the 4pm water taxi, refreshed, iodised, happy and sandy.

Simple is easy and we promised ourselves that we will do it again – hopefully very soon.

Life got a little too busy and our ordinary-running-around-like-crazy-day-to-day-life didn't seem worth a post. We are trying our best to escape what could look like a suburban routine. However, we are sometimes just doing what a lot of families do: driving the kids around (to concerts, scouts, climbing), working too long hours, going to the movie, seeing some friends (not often enough though). We don't mow the lawn - but we clean the deck!

Did I mention hours of lesson preparation and marking for me? I was recently submerged by more than 250 copies, so focused reading stole few hours of my day.

Marking could be seen as an adventure but not exhilarating enough! So yes, we are all missing some adventure, maybe excitement, even small, but we know it will cross our path again.

In the meantime, the river and its lights help us find some extraordinary little moments in our daily lifes where we all stop, watch, enjoy the surroundings and reflect: Life is going fast and is too busy, but, hey, life is good.

Victor came back a little taller but mostly very happy from his trip overseas. He was satisfied with his French (even learnt some new words), amazed by the snow and was very grateful to have spent quality time with his extended family. He found the weather is Paris very wet but loved the "Vieux campeur" (shop specialised in outdoor equipment).

He went skiing and loved it, even if the shoes feel really odd.

He spent few days in Swizerland and was in awe with the white, vast, alpine landscape.

Once back and before he started his new university course in Industrial Design, he went hiking for few days with some friends around Mt Barney. Nature is his element. If you want to see a huge smile, give him a hammock and a backpack.

Victor is growing fast and is touching the celling. Clea would like a cat. Felix's clarinet practice could be a liitle loud for all. Emmanuelle would like a big desk. Gregory would prefer a boat that is not mostly docked but that sails fast and often.